What Challenges Are Faced by Birds

Introduction?

Birds are warm blooded, egg laying vertebrates characterised by feathers , beak and the ability to fly ( though not all birds can fly ). They belong to the class aves and are found all over the world,? from the frozen tundra to tropical Rainforest. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the 5.5cm ( 2.2 in ) bee hummingbird to the 2.8m (9ft 2in) common ostrich; they are about ten thousand living species, more than half of which are passerine or perching birds . Birds have wings whose only known group without wings are the extinct moa and elephant birds. Wings which are modified forelimbs gave birds the ability to fly although further evolution has led to the loss of flight in some birds including penguin rotites and diverse endemic island species.

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What Are The Threats For Birds?

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Many of the 1,093 species of birds protected under the migratory birds treaty act are experiencing population decline due to increased threat across the landscape of those 1,093 species, 89 bird species are listed as either threatened? or endangered under the u.s? endangered species act. An additional 343 species are listed for the conservation of birds. Millions of areas of bird habitat are lost or degraded every year due to development, agriculture and forestry practices . These rapidly accelerating impacts can be mitigated only through habitat restoration and protection.

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How many birds are killed?

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True estimates of morality are difficult to determine.Recent studies have synthesised the best available data to estimate the range of morality to the bird population in North America from some of the most common ,human caused sources of bird mortality. Many additional human-caused threats to birds both direct ( causing immediate injury or deaths) and indirect ( causing delayed Negative Effects to health or productivity) are not on this list because the extent of their impact is either not currently well researched or quantified. For instance, habitat loss is thought to pose by far the greatest threat to birds both directly and indirectly, however its overall impact on bird populations is very difficult to directly assess.1.39 billion birds die annually collisions with human made structures such as vehicles, buildings and windows, power lines, communication towers, and wind turbines. Mortalities from collisions affect some bird groups more than others; between 100 million and 1 billion birds are killed by collisions in the United states alone each year.

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Top Threats To Birds

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Hazard/type ? ? ? Min range. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Max range.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Median ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Collision

Building gas ? ? ? ? 365,000,000 ? ? ? ? ? 988,000,000 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 599,0000,0000?

Collision?

electrical ? ? ? ? ? 8,000,000. ? ? ? ? ? ? 57,300,000. ? ? ? ? ? 25,500,000

Lines

Collision?

vehicle. ? ? ? ? ? ? 89,000,000. ? ? ? ? 340,000,000. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 214,500,000

Collision

Land based. ? ? ? ? ? 140,438. ? ? ? ? ? 327,586.? ? ? ? ? ? 234,012

Wind turbine? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Electrocutions. ? ? ? 900,000.? ? ? 11,600,000.? ? ? 5,600,000

Poison? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 72,000,000

How can we help

Everyone can help protect migratory birds. Whether it is taking actions around your home or workplace, designing bird-friendly projects, or just taking actions that reduce resource consumption, every action is one step towards protecting migratory birds for future generations.

1. Habitat Protection: Creating and maintaining protected areas for birds to breed and forage is crucial. These areas should include diverse ecosystems like wetlands, forests, grasslands, and coastal zones.

2. Pollution Control: Implementing strict regulations to control air and water pollution is vital. Promoting cleaner energy sources, reducing plastic waste, and improving waste management practices can help mitigate pollution impacts.

3. Climate Change Mitigation: Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promoting climate-resilient practices can help birds adapt to changing conditions.

4. Awareness and Education: Educating the public about the importance of bird conservation and the threats they face can foster a culture of respect and protection.

5. Enforcement of Laws: Strict enforcement of wildlife protection laws and measures to combat poaching and illegal trade are essential.

6. Sustainable Agriculture: Encouraging sustainable agricultural practices that reduce the use of pesticides and promote biodiversity-friendly farming can benefit both birds and farmers.

Conclusion

Birds play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and are essential indicators of the health of ecosystems. Protecting India's diverse bird species is not only a matter of ecological importance but also a cultural and economic one. Conservation efforts must be a priority to ensure that future generations can continue to marvel at the beauty and diversity of India's avian inhabitants. By addressing habitat loss, pollution, climate change, poaching, and other threats, we can work toward a harmonious coexistence with our feathered friends.